Gong and Drum Art
01 · Historical Records
Jia County large brass percussion is mainly current in Jia County, Henan, and radiates to the surrounding counties and cities such as Pingdingshan, Baofeng and Ruzhou; it began in the late Eastern Han dynasty, has a history of more than 1,700 years, and is a typical representative of traditional Chinese percussion music.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Although the instruments used vary from place to place, they consist mainly of high-volume percussion instruments such as gongs, drums, naos and cymbals; the rhythm is stirring and sharply marked, the performance scenes are grand, the artistic style is marked by imposing momentum, martial vigour and ardent warmth, and it is performed mainly at various folk auspicious celebrations and ceremonial occasions. Xiping large brass percussion is a traditional New Year percussion music current in Xiping County, Henan Province; it belongs to the surviving sounds of Sui and Tang court music and has a history of more than 1,400 years. The instruments used in performance mainly include the large nao, the large cymbal and the large drum; the timbre is ringing and rough and uninhibited; the traditional performing techniques include chuan, liao and flipping the naos and cymbals, mutual striking, muffled striking and so on. Xiping large brass percussion is used mainly for New Year noise-making, New Year greetings, birthday congratulations, pacifying the household, sacrifices and blessings for good fortune; in performance it is matched with figure dances and traditional virtuoso feats, serving to set off the scene and create the atmosphere. A Xiping large brass percussion band generally numbers from 15 to 60 people; it has 149 inherited tune patterns, of which more than fifty are in common use. Jia County large brass percussion takes the drum, nao, cymbal and gong as its principal instruments; its rhythm is flexible and its content rich, and it has 36 representative traditional tune patterns such as 【Wu Hu Xia Xi Chuan】, 【Ma Mian Chuan】 and 【Hu Lei Pao】, most of them named after their historical background. The pieces make extensive use of 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 6/4 time signatures, and contain a large amount of syncopated rhythm.
Wu Hu Xia Xi Chuan
One of the 36 representative traditional tune patterns of Jia County large brass percussion; most of them are named after their historical background.
Ma Mian Chuan
One of the 36 representative traditional tune patterns of Jia County large brass percussion.
Hu Lei Pao
One of the 36 representative traditional tune patterns of Jia County large brass percussion.
Thirty-six representative pieces
Jia County large brass percussion takes the drum, nao, cymbal and gong as its principal instruments; its rhythm is flexible and its content rich, and it has 36 representative traditional tune patterns; the pieces make extensive use of 1/4, 2/4, 3/4, 4/4 and 6/4 time signatures, and contain a large amount of syncopated rhythm.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Gong-and-drum music is a relatively common form of folk instrumental performance in China; it is widely distributed, and is found in Hebei, Tianjin, Shanxi, Shanghai, Henan, Hubei, Shanxi and other places. Jia County large brass percussion is rough, uninhibited, simple and true in style, and is deeply loved by the local people.
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04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
According to the records of the transmission lineage, Xiping large brass percussion has a documented history of more than three hundred years. Xiping large brass percussion has a remote history and a distinctive style; it is a precious heritage of traditional music, and has research value in such fields as the history of music, the history of ethnic migration and the history of Sino-foreign cultural exchange. In its heyday, eighty per cent of the natural villages in the locality once had a performance band of their own; at present fewer than one fifth of these bands can still operate, and it is necessary to take measures to encourage its transmission and development. In recent years the Jia County large brass percussion artists have grown old and their strength has declined; with insufficient funding, a number of brass percussion teams have disbanded one after another. If protection and transmission are not carried out in good time, this ancient folk art will be in danger of being lost.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Liu Yaowen 03-0882
- Zhao Manzong 05-2134
- Zhang Shushe 05-2135
- Wu Mingchang 05-2136
- Yang Renhe 05-2137
- Liu Qingyun 05-2138
- Liu Zhen 05-2139
- Li Xingguang 05-2140
- Wangdaozhang 05-2141
- Cheng Qinxiang 05-2142
- Wang Guohai
- Xuezongfeng
- Hong Yuqing
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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